Taylor's Profile | Scroll down the page to read Victoria's Profile
Dear President Truman,
I joined the US Marine Corps in 1966 because I was inspired to help my country. I had pride in my nation, pride most American’s wish they had. I wanted to die for my country and to do all that I could to help America. When I went into Vietnam I chose, unlike most of the other soldiers I made the choice to put my life on the line for this country. I fought for America because I had faith in my leader’s judgment and no fear that the United States had good intention for involvement in Vietnam.
Our strategy in Vietnam was to shoot all, kill all. We were unaware of who the enemy was and unaccustomed to the guerilla techniques the Vietnamese used. We had no idea how to fight these natives and with the knowledge that they wouldn’t agree to our ideas of non-communism it seemed that death was the only other choice. When we would get hit with small weapons and retaliate with large weapons. In order to kill one communist we would kill at least a hundred innocent civilians. We would be told to torture Vietnamese if necessary. While leading an attack on a village many Vietnamese swore to us that they were good but we have no way to trust them, with the lack of evidence we were forced to torch their village. In the minds of our leaders we were helping them by destroying their homes. In Laos, an area America was not even at war with, many innocent civilians would hide in caves for fear of their lives and millions died.
The conditions in South Vietnam were horrendous. Men are kept awake at night being eaten alive by mosquitoes and feeling lonely. There are leaches everywhere sucking blood from soldiers who are dying and men lying in pain being ignored. The moment the sun sets fear settles into the soldiers minds and they barley feel comfortable sitting in their bunks. Night patrols are the worst, it is pitch black outside and you are aware that the VC is out there but you just don’t know where. Each man is alone and letters from their loved ones are all that can keep them going. Millions of lives were lost; the death toll is rising by the minute. The Americans that fought in this war and are still fighting and have risked their lives and future in order to fulfill the government’s need to prove their power over the rest of the world.
America is involved in a Civil war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The issue of South Vietnam’s political views will not have an effected the United States. Many Vietnamese are unaware of the difference between communism and democracy. Their biggest concern is that the Americans and our weapons leave their homes. Is it worth losing American men to gain independence for a country that doesn’t even want it? America needs to pull out of this war and pertain to just America. Like George Washington said in his farewell address, we should focus on our nation. Sincerely, Richard Williams War Veteran from Missouri
Victoria's Profile
Dear mama, August 10, 1966
I don’t know how to tell you this, what I am about to tell is probably one of your worse fears. I have just been informed that I am being drafted in the war. I’m only going to be there for a year, so start your countdown! We just got our stationary and threads that we have to use and wear for 360 days… I hope there are a lot of rivers in Vietnam or else I will smell raunchy…. Please don’t worry about me too much, if I know you’re worried and scared it just makes it harder for me. I know it will be extremely hard for you since you experienced this first hand in WWII. The things you saw are scarring to you I know…. But please, please hope for the best for me and all the others going. I have so many emotions swirling inside of me right now, I’m nervous, anxious, scared, excited… I have to go through boot camp to learn how to use the machinery and war guns which should be pretty awesome…. Oh and don’t be bunchin’ up your nerves if you do not receive a letter from me, I don’t know when I’ll have the time to write you or anyone else but please write to me anytime you can so you can update on how you a dad are doing. I have to go now but stay in touch! I love you.
P.S. make sure dad plays fetch with Tiger once and a while, I don’t want him to become lazy while im gone! ( I’m talking about dad, not the dog! )
Your soldier,
John
My dearest Jules, December 24, 1966
I am MISERABLE. I have been in this disgraceful place for 5 months now and I am barely hanging in. We don’t get to shower except when we pass through rivers and lakes which is basically never. All we have the comfort of our shaving tools but that’s it. We rarely get descent meals and the water here tastes like crap. My friends are dying right next to me left and right, I’ve trained myself not mourn anymore over them because I realized that that just makes me more depressed. This has got the worst experience I’ve ever had. I love being patriotic and fighting for my country, but I don’t even understand what we are fighting for anymore? The people of Vietnam want peace, they are sick of seeing their own innocent citizens getting blown up day by day while they are just working in the fields being against the war from the beginning. President Johnson keeps ordering us to drop bombs on anything that gets in our way. What good is this doing? How is killing everyone going to make everything better? “I don’t understand war. Period.” I miss everyone too much, I want to come home. Keep counting down days, I have tall marks on the side of my “bed”, like I told Ma please don’t worry about me if I know your worried it makes everything worse. Help Ma with whatever she needs and play with tiger a little. See you in no time.
Love,
John
P.S.- Merry Christmas…
Dear Pa, February 17, 1968
I’m done. I’m done with fighting, I’m done of not showering, I’m done with war. I’ve come to the realization that war is POINTLESS. I honestly don’t even know what I am fighting for anymore. Pa, remember Richard? Richard Pershing from Yale? He died today. He was K.I.A. killed in action. He was fighting for the United States of America and he died. I don’t know what to do anymore; I’ve been transferred to Cam Ranh Bay and hopefully leaving Vietnam as soon as possible. No one has any idea of what’s really going on here by the fields… soldiers are going insane. I have seen things that someone should never see for as long as they live. But I did. It’s disgusting. “The country doesn’t know it yet, but it has created a monster, a monster in the form of millions of men who have been taught to deal and to trade in violence and who are given the chance to die for the biggest nothing in history.” (Kerry a people divided Chapter 6). Soldiers are raping innocent women, destroying human bodies in ways you can’t even imagine, shooting animals for fun to let the time past faster…. It’s repulsive. Something has to be done, no one will ever find out about any of this unless someone takes a stand. Men will become angry… outraged… Something is going to happen, after what hundreds of thousands of men have been through; we are now just plain angry. We are not only angry because we have all become murders but “we are angry because we feel we have been used in the worst fashion by the administration of this country.” (Kerry a people divided Chapter 6) men are wondering as to where we go from here? We finally finished serving and time to come home. Oh but you can just wait when we get back home, war will not be kept a secret from my nation. They need to know what really goes on so we as a whole can take a stand and protest against war. It’s stupid, absolutely unnecessary. Seriously, what is the point? To show that we are stronger? To prove to everyone we are the top dog? What really came out of this was hatred towards our country, a creating more threats to everyone around the world. I don’t believe that’s what we stand for as a country and this will all soon end. I promise.
Much Love.
Your son,
John
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Vietnam War Veteran
Taylor's Profile | Scroll down the page to read Victoria's Profile
Dear President Truman,
I joined the US Marine Corps in 1966 because I was inspired to help my country. I had pride in my nation, pride most American’s wish they had. I wanted to die for my country and to do all that I could to help America. When I went into Vietnam I chose, unlike most of the other soldiers I made the choice to put my life on the line for this country. I fought for America because I had faith in my leader’s judgment and no fear that the United States had good intention for involvement in Vietnam.
Our strategy in Vietnam was to shoot all, kill all. We were unaware of who the enemy was and unaccustomed to the guerilla techniques the Vietnamese used. We had no idea how to fight these natives and with the knowledge that they wouldn’t agree to our ideas of non-communism it seemed that death was the only other choice. When we would get hit with small weapons and retaliate with large weapons. In order to kill one communist we would kill at least a hundred innocent civilians. We would be told to torture Vietnamese if necessary. While leading an attack on a village many Vietnamese swore to us that they were good but we have no way to trust them, with the lack of evidence we were forced to torch their village. In the minds of our leaders we were helping them by destroying their homes. In Laos, an area America was not even at war with, many innocent civilians would hide in caves for fear of their lives and millions died.
The conditions in South Vietnam were horrendous. Men are kept awake at night being eaten alive by mosquitoes and feeling lonely. There are leaches everywhere sucking blood from soldiers who are dying and men lying in pain being ignored. The moment the sun sets fear settles into the soldiers minds and they barley feel comfortable sitting in their bunks. Night patrols are the worst, it is pitch black outside and you are aware that the VC is out there but you just don’t know where. Each man is alone and letters from their loved ones are all that can keep them going. Millions of lives were lost; the death toll is rising by the minute. The Americans that fought in this war and are still fighting and have risked their lives and future in order to fulfill the government’s need to prove their power over the rest of the world.
America is involved in a Civil war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The issue of South Vietnam’s political views will not have an effected the United States. Many Vietnamese are unaware of the difference between communism and democracy. Their biggest concern is that the Americans and our weapons leave their homes. Is it worth losing American men to gain independence for a country that doesn’t even want it? America needs to pull out of this war and pertain to just America. Like George Washington said in his farewell address, we should focus on our nation.
Sincerely,
Richard Williams
War Veteran from Missouri
Victoria's Profile
Dear mama, August 10, 1966
I don’t know how to tell you this, what I am about to tell is probably one of your worse fears. I have just been informed that I am being drafted in the war. I’m only going to be there for a year, so start your countdown! We just got our stationary and threads that we have to use and wear for 360 days… I hope there are a lot of rivers in Vietnam or else I will smell raunchy…. Please don’t worry about me too much, if I know you’re worried and scared it just makes it harder for me. I know it will be extremely hard for you since you experienced this first hand in WWII. The things you saw are scarring to you I know…. But please, please hope for the best for me and all the others going. I have so many emotions swirling inside of me right now, I’m nervous, anxious, scared, excited… I have to go through boot camp to learn how to use the machinery and war guns which should be pretty awesome…. Oh and don’t be bunchin’ up your nerves if you do not receive a letter from me, I don’t know when I’ll have the time to write you or anyone else but please write to me anytime you can so you can update on how you a dad are doing. I have to go now but stay in touch! I love you.
P.S. make sure dad plays fetch with Tiger once and a while, I don’t want him to become lazy while im gone! ( I’m talking about dad, not the dog! )
Your soldier,
John
My dearest Jules, December 24, 1966
I am MISERABLE. I have been in this disgraceful place for 5 months now and I am barely hanging in. We don’t get to shower except when we pass through rivers and lakes which is basically never. All we have the comfort of our shaving tools but that’s it. We rarely get descent meals and the water here tastes like crap. My friends are dying right next to me left and right, I’ve trained myself not mourn anymore over them because I realized that that just makes me more depressed. This has got the worst experience I’ve ever had. I love being patriotic and fighting for my country, but I don’t even understand what we are fighting for anymore? The people of Vietnam want peace, they are sick of seeing their own innocent citizens getting blown up day by day while they are just working in the fields being against the war from the beginning. President Johnson keeps ordering us to drop bombs on anything that gets in our way. What good is this doing? How is killing everyone going to make everything better? “I don’t understand war. Period.” I miss everyone too much, I want to come home. Keep counting down days, I have tall marks on the side of my “bed”, like I told Ma please don’t worry about me if I know your worried it makes everything worse. Help Ma with whatever she needs and play with tiger a little. See you in no time.
Love,
John
P.S.- Merry Christmas…
Dear Pa, February 17, 1968
I’m done. I’m done with fighting, I’m done of not showering, I’m done with war. I’ve come to the realization that war is POINTLESS. I honestly don’t even know what I am fighting for anymore. Pa, remember Richard? Richard Pershing from Yale? He died today. He was K.I.A. killed in action. He was fighting for the United States of America and he died. I don’t know what to do anymore; I’ve been transferred to Cam Ranh Bay and hopefully leaving Vietnam as soon as possible. No one has any idea of what’s really going on here by the fields… soldiers are going insane. I have seen things that someone should never see for as long as they live. But I did. It’s disgusting. “The country doesn’t know it yet, but it has created a monster, a monster in the form of millions of men who have been taught to deal and to trade in violence and who are given the chance to die for the biggest nothing in history.” (Kerry a people divided Chapter 6). Soldiers are raping innocent women, destroying human bodies in ways you can’t even imagine, shooting animals for fun to let the time past faster…. It’s repulsive. Something has to be done, no one will ever find out about any of this unless someone takes a stand. Men will become angry… outraged… Something is going to happen, after what hundreds of thousands of men have been through; we are now just plain angry. We are not only angry because we have all become murders but “we are angry because we feel we have been used in the worst fashion by the administration of this country.” (Kerry a people divided Chapter 6) men are wondering as to where we go from here? We finally finished serving and time to come home. Oh but you can just wait when we get back home, war will not be kept a secret from my nation. They need to know what really goes on so we as a whole can take a stand and protest against war. It’s stupid, absolutely unnecessary. Seriously, what is the point? To show that we are stronger? To prove to everyone we are the top dog? What really came out of this was hatred towards our country, a creating more threats to everyone around the world. I don’t believe that’s what we stand for as a country and this will all soon end. I promise.
Much Love.
Your son,
John
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